Letter-fastener.



F. Ci BUSSERT.

LETTER FASTENEB.

ArrLIonIoN Hmm 1.11.21, 190s.

905,406. atented Dec1,19os.

UNITED STATES FRANK CLARK Bussnar, or sHELnoN, iLLNois..

LETTER-FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 1, 190s.

Application filed January 21, 1908. Serial No. l111,955.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK CLARK Bussnn'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sheldon, in the county of Iroquois and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Letter-Fastener, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of 'fasteners employed in holding bundles of letters, or other mail matter, assembled while being transported through the mails.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and thoroughly efficient device of this character, which may readily be operated to secure the fastening together of a bundle of letters, or the like, and in which the binder shall be positively held against loosening` or accidental unfastening, whereby security will be assured and the 'trouble and loss of time arising from the necessity of collecting and Are-sortirng mail Vwill be obviated, and in which, further, the wear of the binder will be reduced to the minimum, thus to overcome an objection present with the ordinary' twine binder such as is in common use.

Vith the above and other objects in view, as will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction and combination of parts of a letter fastener, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a top plan view of the fastener with a. portion thereof removed. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view. Fig. 4- is an inverted plan view of a portion of the fastener.

The fastener comprises, in part, a plate 1 and a casing or housing 2. Both these parts are, by preference, cast integral, of any suitable metal, such as aluminum, and have a rectangular contour, the corners of the plate being rounded in order to prevent the infliction of injury to the user.

Arranged within the casing 2 is the binder gripping mechanism which consists of a stationary jaw 3 and a movable aw et, the opposed faces of which are transversely serrated or toothed, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The stationary jaw 3 is detachably mounted in the casing, being held therein by guides 5 formed in the opposed faces of the sides of the casing, the object of this arrangement push rod is a coiled spring 9, one end of" which bears against the stationary jaw 8 and the other end against la shoulder 10 formed by reducing the diameter of the push rod, as

will be understood by reference to Fig. 2. As will be apparent, the natural tendency lof the spring 9 will be to force the push rod away from the movable jaw, and in order to prevent separation of the parts due to this canse, a pin 11, or other equivalent form of holding device, is employed, whichV passes through the push rod and bears against the outer face of the movable jaw. 1

Disposed beneath the two jaws 3 and '4l is a binder guide 12, which is preferably formed integral with the plate, and which is of a sutlicient width to provide an effective bearing for the inner edge of the movable jaw to work upon. This guide is provided with three orifices, 13, 14 and 15, through which the binder 16 is threaded, the latter being constructed from a length of ordinary twine such as is commonly employed in tying up mail matter. The plate is provided with four orifices 17, 18, 19 and 20 through which the binder projects, the object of these orices being to protect thebinder from being cut or abraded and also to prevent any slippage relatively to the plate.

The binder is made in two parts or members, one of which, A, has one end projected through the rear wall 21, adjacent to the plate, and is held against withdrawal 'by a washer 22 and a knot 23. The binder A is then passed through the orifice 17, thence through the orifice 18, thence through an orilice in the front wall of the casing adjacent to the pla-te, thence upward through the opening 14 in the binder guide, thence be tween the two jaws 3 and 4, and thence outward through an orifice 211 in the cover or cap 25 of the casing, which latter is held assembled therewith in any preferred manner, as by screws 26. The other binder B has one end projected through the side wall 27 of the casing, preferably beneath the binder guide, and is held against withdrawal by a screw eye 28 secured in the stationary jaw 3. The binder B is then passed through the orifice 19, thence through an orifice 20, thence through an orifice in the side wall 29 preferably beneath the binder guide, thence upward through the orifice 13 in the binder plate, and thence outward through an orifice 30 in the cover or cap 25 of the casing. As will be seen by reference to Fig. 4, the end of the binder B that is secured to the screw eye 28 passes upward through the orifice 15 in the binder guide.

In order to permit threading or passing of the two binders through the orifices 13, 14 and 15, the plate 1 is provided with a. rectangular orifice 31 immediately beneath the casing.

The object of having the jaw 3 detachable .is to permit of the binder B being readily assembled with the screw eye 28, and also to allow a new jaw to be replaced for one that has become broken or otherwise dam` aged in use.

In using the fastener, the push rod is pressed inward to separate the jaws, and the two binders are then drawn downward, after' ywhich they are positioned around the mail matter in the usual manner. The push rod is again forced inward, and the free ends of the binders are drawn upward, thereby forcing the mail matter against the plate, and upon the pushrod being released, the jaws will instantly clamp the binders and hold them against slippage. A

It will be seen that as there will be no tying, or no forcing of the binders between resisting jaws, there will beno tendency on the part of the binders to become worn or cut in use, and this feature is still further accentuated by the provision of the orifices 17-20, which will cause the binders to occupy a position within the periphery of the plate, so that they will not rub or grind against adjacent mail packages.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that, although the improvements herein defined are simple in character, they will coac't in the production of a thoroughly efficient and practical letter fastener and one that will meet all the requirements demanded from such article.

I claim l. A letter fastener comprising a plate provided with orifices disposed adjacent to its sides and ends, clamping members carried by the plate, an orificed guide arranged beneath the clamping members, and binders passed through the orifices inthe plate and through those of the guide and being' disposed between the clamping members.

9.. A letter fastener comprising a plate, a casing carried thereby, a stationary and a spring' pressed jaw arranged iu the casing, and binders each having one of its terminals secured within the casing, the other terminal of each binder being arranged between the jaws.

3. A letter fastener comprising a plate, a casing carried thereby, a stationary and a spring pressed jaw arranged within the easing, an orificed guide disposed below the jaws, and a pair of binders each having one of its terminals secured within the casing, the other terminal of each binder being carried through an orifice in the guide and disposed between the jaws.

4. A letter fastener comprising a plate, a casing carried thereby and provided with an orificed cover, a stationary and a spring pressed jaw arranged within the casing, an orificed guide disposed below the jaws, and a pair of binders each having one of its terminals secured within the casing, the other terminal of each binder being carried through an orifice in the guide, between the jaws, and extended through an orifice in the cover.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK CLARK BUSSERT.

IVitnesses E. IV. SAINDON, J. F. SWITZER. 

